The Potion Master's Daughter, Book 2: The Sorcerer's Apprentice
by 0118999881999119725.3
Summary: Not for the first time, an argument broke out over breakfast at the shambles of a house in Spinner's End. Isabella Swan had woken in the early hours of the morning by a loud, cawing noise from the downstairs kitchen at Professor Snape's childhood home. "I don't see your problem, Bella." "You will when I shoot the bloody thing!" CHAPTERS REPLACED! WIP...
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Not for the first time, an argument broke out over breakfast at the shambles of a house in Spinner's End. Isabella Swan had been woken in the early hours of the morning by a loud, cawing from the downstairs kitchen at Professor Snape's childhood home.

Another package containing orders for the Potions Master and his apprentice- which was all well and fine, except Severus Snape could sleep through the annoying sound. His young apprentice could not, which left her with the task of retrieving said package from a sullen, nasty old crow.

"He's _your _crow, why won't he go to _your_ window instead of the kitchen?"

"I don't see your problem, Bella." The master's tone was all smugness.

"You will when I shoot the bloody thing!"

Miss Swan was an American exchange student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and Professor Snape's apprentice since last Christmas. Needless to say, she'd picked up a few phrases here and there, and was gradually losing her "obnoxious Yankee" accent.

"Don't be stupid, Bella. You're too young to buy Muggle weapons."

"Who's to say I couldn't conjure one up just for the occasion?"

"And find yourself owing me money for a highly valued familiar?"

Suddenly, Bella smiled. Not a regular, sweet smile, but a cunning smile that Severus did not like.

"Whatever you're planning-"

She pointed her wand at the offending bird and cast a silencing charm on it. It cawed in protest, but no sound came out. So it pecked her hand in retaliation, drawing blood.

Severus healed the cut swiftly and shooed the crow away before it tried again.

"You've been invited to the manse again from lunch through dinner," he said blandly.

'The manse' was a small mansion belonging to the Malfoy family, with sprawling gardens and more rooms than was needed. Far too extravagant for Bella's simple tastes, but Draco had taken a strange liking to the girl, Narcissa (having only found out about Isabella's blood status when she met the girl in person) felt the relationship couldn't be helped since they were dorm-mates now, Lucius decided to try turning the situation to his own advantage, and Bella couldn't care less what any of them said to her so the match worked well.

Still, the Potions Master kept their visits few and far between despite the weekly invitations. He claimed it was due to the importance of training Miss Swan as his apprentice, but master and apprentice both knew it would not do well to have her too exposed to the likes of Lucius Malfoy.

Bella smiled at her Potions Master. "It's been a month since my last visit, sir. They'd consider it an insult to refuse them any longer."

"Then you can come shopping for groceries with me this morning so we can prepare the next few meals before you go. You'll have time to post a Muggle letter to your parents while we're out."

The girl had to restrain a laugh at his proposal. Why, one may ask?

When Severus first suggested they cook together, she'd never expected him to pull out matching green _frilly_ chequered aprons for the occasion. The larger one, he'd said, belonged to his mother while the smaller was his when he was a child. They made an event of cooking Muggle-style together when his father was away, probably the only happy memory he had of the woman.

He never wore an apron when he was cooking on his own, but Bella thought the professor may have been making steps toward welcoming his live-in apprentice. Or something.

She must have been the only person alive to have seen him in something so... domestic. And while it was precious, it was also... hilarious.

"And the aprons?" she asked with a smile.

"Are freshly laundered and ready to use," he replied as though ticking items off a list.

Bella tapped her chin. "We should make an apple pie. From scratch."

Severus frowned. "What for?"

"For the sake of getting our aprons dirty. It'll be great. Come on, sir. Pleeeaaase," she wheedled until her victory was reflected in his long-suffering sigh. "Fine, if it will make you cease that grating racket you insist on making. What do we need?"

"A recipe, for starters. They have recipe books at the post office, so I'll have a look while I'm in there."

"You have ten minutes to get ready," was the short reply.

I'd posted the letters to my family and read through an apple pie recipe when the birthday card section caught my eye. Harry's birthday was coming up, soon.

Making up my mind, I went and picked out a card that read:

_Happiness is like peeing your pants. Everyone can see it, but only you can feel it's warmth._

_Happy birthday._

Master Severus met me just outside the door and I listed off the ingredients we required for our apple pie as we entered the grocers.

The trip went on in comfortable silence until we got home and whipped our aprons on.

Hours later, several meals were put aside in the fridge and freezer, a pie was in the oven and we were putting the dishes away after doing the washing up by hand. The flour was still out on the table, forgotten for the time being, when I noticed some kind of food smudged on Snape's chin.

"Uh, sir, you've got a bit of..."

"Hmm?" The professor glanced down at me curiously.

"Pastry dough. On your chin."

He smirked. "And you've got flour on your nose, Isabella. You and your double standards," the man sneered in his teasing way. I mock glared, putting the last of the dishes safely in the cupboard before heading to the table where the flour lay.

"I'll give _you_ double standards!" I smirked at him.

A wad of flour hit Snape on the neck with a _thwack_!

He turned around, a dark glint in his eyes. "Did you throw flour _at me_?"

I grinned, putting my hands up in surrender, only they were covered in flour. Darn. He'd caught me.

The Potions Master stalked towards me.

Fifteen minutes later, a somewhat irritated Lucius Malfoy stepped through Snape's fireplace to see what was taking so long for one little girl to respond to their invitation.

The sound of yelling drew him to the kitchen, where he barely missed being hit by a flying wad of flour.

"I'm winning, you little brat!" Severus called out from behind a barricade of dining chairs.

I giggled with delight and threw another wad that connected with the man's head, turning his dark hair a powdery white. "I'll never admit defeat!"

Lucius cleared his throat, and we both popped our heads over our barricades, noticing him for the first time. Lucky for Snape our aprons had taken a trip back to the laundry before we did the dishes. He'd be terribly embarrassed if Lucius caught him wearing that.

"Oh hello, there Mr Malfoy," I greeted cheerfully. "You know, I'm ready to go when you are."

I noted the angry vein in his forehead that was now protruding a little.

"I see she's reduced you to barbarism, Severus." he commented snidely.

"Oh yes," I teased. "It's just a contemporary Muggle ritual I was teaching my Potions Master about. After cooking a meal, a food fight must break out between partners to establish dominance in the kitchen. If nobody wins, the family bludgeons them both to death for their failure."

Severus rolled his eyes and ordered me to get myself cleaned up before going to the Malfoys while he restored the kitchen to rights with a wave of his wand.

"She has a lot of cheek, that girl," I overheard the nobleman say as I climbed the stairs.

I chose not to wear my wizarding robes whenever I visited the Malfoys, instead wearing bright summery dresses that reminded me of home. Today's dress was a knee-length sunflower print with little sleeves and a cinched waist.

"She looks like a Muggle," Lucius complained as usual when we'd arrived to greet the rest of the family.

"She looks lovely," Narcissa retorted, though she got down on her knees to brush away some flour just below my ear.

"Sorry I'm late," I apologised sincerely. "I hope Draco's not upset by it."

Speak of the devil... "Oh there you are, Swan. At last! When you missed lunch I thought you weren't coming!"

I smirked. "Yeah, we both kinda forgot about you."

Draco pouted. "Some friend you are," he muttered and I promptly glomped him. "Come on, I've been cooped up all holidays. Let's run outside! I want grass stains on my knees!"

"But-" he jerked forward when I tugged him after me, "don't you want to see the new broom my father's getting me? It's on the front of a magazine and everything!"

"Nah," I waved him off. "Plenty of time for brooms later, Malfoy. Let's play tag."

As we lay on the grass with peacocks wandering about the gardens, chests heaving from an hour of non-stop tag, I stared up at the overcast sky and asked, "Aren't you lonely here, with just the three of you?"

Draco gave me a funny look.

"Why would I be lonely? My parents give me everything I want so I'm never bored."

"Yeah, but you don't have anybody to play with, Draco."

"I have you."

"Once a month. What about Crabbe and Goyle, or Zabini, or Parkinson? They ever visit?"

The boy scoffed. "And listen to them fawning over my family and estate? I much prefer you, Bella. You like to run even though you trip, and... and hit people for upsetting you, no matter who they are. You're not afraid of me. It's refreshing."

"Why should I be afraid of _you_," I teased, watching as he went pink, "you scrawny little boy?"

I grinned and stood up, brushing grass off my dress. "Come on, weren't you gonna show me that broom your dad's getting you?"

A loud crack filled the air, and I spun around quickly to the sight of a bowing house elf. The little creature had large, bat-like ears and bulging green eyes the size of tennis balls.

"Apologies, Young Master Draco, for Dobby's interruption."

"Yes, well get on with it," the boy said roughly.

"Dobby has been ordered by Master Lucius to Scourgify the young master and his friend before they enter the house," Dobby explained as he snapped his fingers and the two of us were suddenly clean of dirt and grass stains.

I stared at the house elf. This was actually the first time I'd met the Malfoys' house elf. He didn't look as happy as Sooty did. "If it's not rude of me to ask, how does owning a house elf actually work?"

"A _mudblood's_ never owned one, if that's what your asking," Draco cut in. Dobby's enormous eyes widened, but I simply flicked the boy on the nose.

"Dobby, were you bought, or given as a gift to the Malfoys?"

Draco rolled his eyes at the house elf's fear to speak. "He's been owned by our family since the Wizarding War ended. House elves work for the immediate family of those who own them, and get passed down to the inheriting heir along with property and other things when the head of the family dies."

The house elf nodded in agreement, still not speaking.

"Thanks, Dobby," I offered politely before Draco could get another word in. "I'm Isabella Swan, and it's a pleasure to meet you. Let's go inside, Draco."

Dinnertime at the Malfoys was 'interrogate Bella' time – Lucius still hadn't gotten over the fact that a filthy little mudblood could have been given an apprenticeship under Severus Snape in her first year when his own son had failed to achieve this.

Draco, of course had inflamed the situation by telling his parents how brilliant I was at everything I tried.

"So... _Bella_," Lucius began when I had a mouth full of food, "what exactly qualified you for this apprenticeship in the first place?"

I made sure to finish my mouthful before answering in a natural manner. "You know, sir, I never thought to ask. Perhaps it was because I don't behave as a Slytherin should and require coaching on the matter."

"How naive you must think us, Bella," Mr Malfoy sneered lightly. I was impressed he could do so around his baby asparagus. "My Draco offered you his dormitory because you are so _very_ talented. Do not play at modesty, dear girl, and tell us the facts."

I sighed and abandoned my cutlery. "The facts are pretty embarrassing, actually."

Lucius seemed delighted by this, and Draco was looking at me curiously, but still trying to appear as though he was eating his dinner.

"Come now, Bella, it's just us." Lucius spread out his arms in a gesture of openness, which I disregarded completely.

"Well," I started my lie slowly, keeping my eyes on my plate, "I need to be supervised now that I'm a witch, and Professor Snape... volunteered."

"But why?" Narcissa asked, her tone full of concern.

"A couple of reasons," I glanced at her briefly. "The first is because my mom can't take me – she's travelling constantly now, and my dad lives in a small town where strange things get noticed _very _quickly. I have a... hyperactive disorder that makes my magic flare up in kinda showy ways. To be honest, I wouldn't say I've honed any of my magical abilities at all. It's just my accidental magic being affected by my disorder. Not special, just... dangerous. The apprenticeship as it's been called is just a way to keep me balanced and disciplined. Professor Snape is good at that."

"And that would be why he's been limiting your visits with us," Lady Malfoy reasoned. "He's been watching you carefully, hasn't he?"

I kept the inner dance of victory to myself, and gave her a short nod.

Lucius was preening. "Then there's no reason you couldn't surpass her entirely, Draco, since you've been coached by Severus for _far_ longer than Bella."

Both of us heard the expectation in his tone, but Draco simply answered, "Yes, father."

Dinner thankfully continued with minimal conversation, and Severus came to my rescue after the third course to take me back to Spinner's End.

When we were safely back in his sitting room beside the fire, I told him the story I made up for the Malfoys to keep their questions at bay. I didn't want us mixing up my cover story.

"You're getting quite devious," was his only comment.

With school looming over our heads in August, I was informed that I would be accompanied to Diagon Alley by Lucius and Draco Malfoy to fetch my school things. I'd scoffed at the book list when I realised that seven of the eight expensive books were by some celebrity wizard called Gilderoy Lockhart. Maybe they'd be useful, but I'd discern that for myself when I got to peruse them at the book store. In any case, I wouldn't need to buy them if I could memorise the pages quickly enough, which would save me money that could be better spent somewhere else.

On the morning of, however, I found myself separated from the nobleman and his son – they'd left me to withdraw money from my Gringott's account. I had a tidy little sum saved up from the last few months working at Hogwarts, so after a quick calculation, I withdrew just enough for what I required and set off to do my shopping. It was nice to have a little time to myself, and I felt my sense of independence growing with each item I ticked off the list. I'd grown a little, and so I had to get my robes extended; I needed new ink and quills and I wanted to have plenty of time in the bookshop to go through the reading material. When I got there, however, it was jam-packed with people and as soon as I stepped through the door I was jostled and pushed and bumped and pinched until two pairs of hands hoisted me out of line.

"Belly boo!"

"We were wondering when we'd see you!"

I looked up at my friends, Fred and George, the infamous Weasley twins, and smiled excitedly.

"You here for the book signing?" Fred asked sarcastically.

"Mum is," George snickered.

"The what?" I asked, looking at the long line of witches, all holding sets of Lockhart's books. Oh. I shook my head. "Any man who alliterates the titles of his series of exploits is not worth the time to listen to. I was just gonna go through them to see if it's legitimate enough or just a ruddy novelization."

A few witches who overheard my remark shot me dirty looks. Fred handed me his signed copies with a roll of his eyes, and they escorted me to a slightly less crowded spot in the book store. I flicked through the books quickly and let my brain do its thing.

"This is ridiculous," I muttered, "it's too perfect. And as an autobiography? Just... no."

I snapped the last book shut and stacked it on top of the others in Fred's waiting arms.

"What a relief he's not our professor."

Ah, but I spoke too soon...

As we returned to our spot near the rest of the Weasley clan, a voice positively shouted, "It _can't _be Harry Potter?"

The crowd parted, whispering excitedly and after some commotion with taking photos for the newspaper Lockhart announced he would, in fact, be taking up the DADA position at Hogwarts.

The crowd of hysterical witches cheered loudly all around me but I face-palmed, and the twins draped their arms heavily on my head. "There, there, Bella."

"It's not like you actually jinxed it for everyone."

"Yeah, he said he's been sitting on the announcement for a while."

Harry only seemed to get away once he had Gilderoy Lockhart's entire collection of books. My eyes followed his path as he managed to stagger his way to the edge of the room where Ginny was standing next to her new cauldron.

It wasn't long before a slick head of platinum blonde hair caught my attention. I nudged the twins. "I'd best be going. I'm supposed to be shopping with Draco."

"What?" they chorused, looking slightly disgusted. "That bloody bat set you up with them, didn't he?" Fred asked. I shrugged, trying to squeeze past the hordes of witches and towards the exit. Of course, I didn't have much luck and nearly broke my teeth when I got bumped into a bookcase. Sighing, the twins took a hold of me just as their father started heading in the same direction.

"Ron!" said Mr. Weasley, struggling over with Fred and George, who dragged me along behind them. Draco hadn't noticed me, busy staring Harry down.

"What are you doing? It's too crowded in here, let's go outside."

"Well, well, well — Arthur Weasley."

It was Mr. Malfoy. He stood with his hand on Draco's shoulder, sneering in just the same way as his son.

"Lucius," said Mr. Weasley, nodding coldly.

"Busy time at the Ministry, I hear," said Mr. Malfoy. "All those raids . . . I hope they're paying you overtime?"

"Mr Malfoy," I spoke up, edging my way through the Weasley clan to stand between the two men. Mr Weasley looked like he was looking for an excuse to brawl. "I hate to interrupt your catchup, but would you mind if we look for some more appropriate text books for this subject? As an apprentice I have to stay ahead of the class, and I've read through Mr Lockhart's books already."

Lucius' eyes slid over me in something akin to disdain, but he fixed his expression into polite interest almost immediately. "Apprentice Swan, I think we may have to discuss your social etiquette later, but I believe we can arrange something if we have a little look upstairs. Come along, Draco."

I mouthed 'Sorry' to the Weasleys before scooting up after the two blondes. Fred and George were not so easily put off, and I was soon flanked by the red-haired twins.

"So we were thinking, Belly-boo," Fred slung an arm around my waist and George flung one over my shoulder, finishing his brother's sentence as usual. "About inviting you to stay with us at the Burrow for the rest of the holidays."

"_What do you say?_"

I worried my lip. "I'd have to speak with Master Severus first, so don't get your hopes up."

They grinned. "We'll get mum onto it!"

I wasn't expecting the synchronised kiss on the cheek, and Draco turned around just in time to see the twins walking away while I sported a tomato-red blush.

"What's wrong with _you_?" the blonde accused.

"I'll get them," I muttered in embarrassment, thinking of exactly what I 'd do if they tried it again.

Draco shook his head and tugged me into an aisle of books where Lucius was waiting. He had a pile of older-looking books in his hands, most of them with titles so faded I could barely make out what any of them said.

"I'll pay," Lucius said in his most paternal voice. "Consider it a token of your friendship with my Draco."

I swallowed and nodded carefully. "If I must."

The two of them shot me a look that translated to: _Snarky mini-Snape_, which I ignored in favour of getting out of the crowded book store.

Unfortunately, once we reached the bottom of the staircase the feud between the Weasley tribe and the Malfoy family resumed itself and I ended up sending a flurry of Lockhart's books flying from their shelves to distract the other customers while Hagrid arrived and hauled the lot of them outside.

"Draco requires new robes. You may come if you like... or you can go and buy yourself an ice cream," Lucius said, handing me a few gold galleons before immediately disappearing with his son.

It seemed like the man couldn't decide whether he saw me as a charity case or a nuisance to be rid of.

Sighing, I went to get myself an ice-cream and was once again accosted by Gryffindors.

"That was exciting," the twins chorused and their fiery mother immediately slapped them upside the head.

"How dare you teach an innocent young girl such destructive behaviour! You ought to be ashamed! What would Gilderoy Lockhart think?"

"He was fine with it, mum. The more publicity the better, I think he said,"Gred piped up helpfully. "He even tried to take the credit for it!"

I shrugged. "Sorry Mrs Weasley. I wasn't really thinking, I just wanted to distract them so you wouldn't be caught fighting on camera. I think it worked."

"We told you she was precious," Forge smiled.

Her eyes took on a kinder light. "Yes dear, of course it worked. Thank you. And you can call me Molly."

Fred and George winked at me behind their mother's back, and the Golden Trio smiled.

"Okay, Mrs- I mean, Molly."

Molly went on, "And my boys tell me they want you to come stay with us. How about I organise it for next week and we have Arthur and the boys come pick you up? You can stay with us until we have to leave for Kings Cross."

I blushed wildly. "I'd have to ask my Potions Master for permission."

"Oh, I'm sure he'll give you permission right away," the woman said cheerfully.

"Absolutely not! After your little _stunt_ made its way into the papers, you're not seeing the outside of these walls until we go to Kings Cross!"

Snape was livid. In one hand was a copy of the _Daily Prophet_, a wizarding newspaper with a girl at the centre of what could only be described as a book cyclone. I hadn't noticed anyone taking my picture, but I suppose I was too busy accommodating an escape – his other hand was clenched so tight his knuckles were white.

When the Malfoys returned me to Snape's fireplace, Draco was already gloating over his new broom and they left pretty quickly, leaving me to the Potion Master's wrath. Silently, I'd marvelled at the speed at which the Daily Prophet could have their articles written and distributed. We hadn't been gone more than a couple hours after the incident.

I sighed. "I'll let them know to cancel their arrangements."

_"You made arrangements?!_" His mood was growing ever darker.

"No, sir. Mrs Weasley made arrangements and I told her I'd need your permission. We were going to build a fort in the living room so I could stay with Fred and George instead of being stuck in Ginny's room."

"I FORBID YOU FROM SPENDING ANY MORE TIME WITH THOSE WEASLEY TWINS! THEY ARE A POOR INFLUENCE ON YOU!" Severus roared, pointing a finger at me.

As usual, I remained calm in the face of the Potion Master's wrath.

"To be frank with you sir, you're not my father, and while you may have the power to put me under house arrest, you are without the capacity to forbid me from seeing my friends. As for being a poor influence, I am as bad as I am without anyone's influence, but you certainly aren't helping right now."

Slowly, the purple tint faded from my Potion Master's face and he looked at me coolly as he breathed through his abnormally large nose.

"I have a phone call to make sir," I told him as I turned my back on the man, heading to the kitchen to find some Muggle change for the payphone. "When I get back you can ward the house as much as you like to stop me from leaving."

"Let me talk to him, dear. I'll change his mind, don't you worry!" Molly had taken over the phone after Arthur picked up – I'd cheated and used a little magic to call their phone since it wouldn't be in a Muggle telephone book – and once I'd told her what Snape said, it seemed there'd be no stopping her – the stubborness was evident in her voice even as she reassured me it'd all be fine.

"I'd prefer it if you wouldn't, Molly," I began tentatively. "I don't want him to think I'm undermining his authority. He's mad enough as it is."

"Has he hurt you?" the woman asked sharply.

"What- no-"

"If he so much as lays a finger on you-"

"Molly, would you stop and listen?!" I nearly shouted into the phone, instantly regretting my action. There was a tremor in her voice as she replied, "Oh- Of course, dear."

"I'm sorry, I should never have raised my voice," I said quickly. "I just don't want you to think he's mistreating me, because he's not. Master Severus has been nothing but responsible with me, if a little cranky."

"_Give me_ the Muggle contraption Isabella, or I'll be more than a little cranky."

I turned around, muffling the receiver with my hand.

"You've been gone for half an hour now," he said coldly, "and I wanted to make sure you weren't lost or hurt, but it seems you've just been busy _chatting away_ to Mrs Weasley. Let me speak with her. You can wait for me in the library."

I felt the magic seal me in once my feet crossed the threshold to Professor Snape's shoddy old house, and so I immediately went to the library, running my hands over the book spines that held all sorts of dark secrets within their pages. I'd not been permitted to open them, but I loved the texture of the covers, and the smell of _knowledge _and nostalgia.

Books could always be home to me when my new home was not, and for that I was thankful. Some days, after _hours_ of working over a cauldron with Severus the cold and the dark would just creep up on me and, strangely enough, only being in his library amongst the dangerous books would combat the depression that set in. My fingertips trailed over another book when the deep voice of my Potion Master returned.

"You will help Mrs Weasley with all of her household chores every day while you are gone, and I expect you to be an example to all the other Gryffindor brats and complete your assigned homework as well. It will do them all some good to participate in actual _study_ for once. Do not misunderstand – this is not a holiday, you are still being punished."

My brows furrowed in confusion. I voluntarily did household chores here, I even preferred doing them the Muggle way. And I was already way ahead in my studies, so where was the punishment? Was Severus letting me get away with it?

He saw my confusion and snapped, "Don't give me that look! I'm letting you go, nobody said I had to like it!"

It was too much. He sounded angry, but I wasn't being punished and I didn't understand why. My bottom lip began to tremble. _"You're not making any sense!"_

His short huff was the only warning I had before I was being caged inside the man's lean arms, my wet cheek pressed against the buttons on his black vest.

"None of this useless snivelling, Isabella," Severus said in his usual sneer. I was surprised to find it comforting.

I was offered a hankie to wipe my face with, but I knew it was only so I wouldn't blubber all over the man's robes.

"Why'd you let her talk you out of it?" I asked once I got a hold of myself.

He sighed. "That confounded woman... honestly believes I'm not looking after you properly."

"_She __what?_" _Merlin, didn't that woman listen? What was _wrong _with her? _Black rage built up inside me until I forced it back down.

"The only way I could convince her otherwise was to let her have her way. Molly Weasley can be incredibly manipulative for a Gryffindor, I'll give her that." Snape actually sounded impressed. I gave him a watery smile. "I'll sort her out, sir."

"Don't bother. People will think what they want no matter what you say, Bella."

I was still grounded for the week before going to the Burrow (as Fred and George referred to their home when they came to pick me up).

Snape hadn't even let me collect the deliveries from his godforsaken crow at the window, he was so anal about my house arrest. That alone was punishment enough, but I don't think he saw it that way.

When Arthur Weasley showed up outside Snape's shabby house in an old turquoise car and a matching set of teens with flaming red hair bounded up to the door after their father, my spirits lifted. It was sheer self-control that allowed me to wait idly by while Severus answered the door with the most disdainful look he could manage (leaving room for the horrible way he looked at Harry).

"Hullo, sir!" the twins chorused before immediately peering around him to search search the darkness for me. I waited as Severus casually leaned against the door-jamb and raised his wand.

"Weasleys," he said silkily, before removing the ward from his home that blocked my exit. "I trust you shall be well prepared for your school year by the time Miss Swan is through with you. Arthur," he nodded before beckoning me towards him.

I stood before the Potion Master with a solemn expression on my face. "Take care, sir. I look forward to seeing you at school."

Was it strange to believe I might miss my teacher a little bit?

Just a smidge, promise.

"And you, Miss Swan." He gave me a brief, tight smile before ushering me out the door with my shrunken bags. The twins took a bag each and rushed back to the car, while Arthur walked me out.

I couldn't help but look back one last time as the passenger door was held open for me.

Snape gave me a single nod of approval before turning indoors.

"C'mon Bella, you've gotta have fun _some_ time! All you've been doing since you got here is taking our chores and studying! Act your age!" Ron complained loudly.

I'd roped Harry and Ron into studying together with me and the twins (who were also grumbling since I'd stuck their feet to the floor with stealthily applied super glue – I promised to remove it once we were done, but they continued to glower, though mostly because I managed to prank them without using magic).

"I will, as soon as you spend an hour studying responsibly," I reasoned.

"The old git can't possibly hold it against you if we don't do well in his class," Fred retorted sharply. My eyes widened. Oh Merlin, I hoped not. They were dooming me.

"Now you've done it," George muttered to his twin since he'd been busy observing me instead of the words in his book.

"It's just unnatural not to be punished for what I did! I _ruined a bookstore,_" I said as anxiety slipped into my features. _"Books are sacred! Harry,_ you need to tell them!"

"What?" the boy looked at me, totally clueless.

"He's alright now, but I embarrassed him when the _Daily Prophet _came out and I was on the front page. Imagine living in the same house as him if he decides to hold a grudge! I'll have to clean up bird crap from his kitchen window every day for the next six years!"

Harry caught on quickly, to his credit. "She's right. If her punishment is tutoring us, let's not waste her time and make Snape angry at her. It's not like _she_ can get away from him in the holidays."

The Weasley boys groaned but we spent the next hour working together on homework and essays and the like before I pulled out my wand and scourgified the super glue from the twins' feet.

Several eyebrows rose. "Bella, you can't-"

"I'm 'The Sorcerer's Apprentice,' so I got a consent form instead."

Harry chuckled at my reference.

Molly chose to enter the twins room at that moment, and when she saw what we were doing, a look of delight crossed her face. "The house was quiet for a whole hour, so I thought I'd better check what Fred and George were up to, but you've got them all studying, Bella! You know, I think I'll have you back."

"As if she'd tell you you couldn't come back," George joked, nudging me with his elbow. Yeah, I'd become acquainted with Molly's heart of hospitality. She filled up my plate and made me eat until I felt like a stuffed turkey, always called me and Harry 'dear' and complained either that we were being starved, or that it was a shame that 'such a lovely girl' was Sorted into Slytherin. She was too generous for her own good.

Staying with the Weasleys was an entirely different experience to my living at Spinner's End. Even in its shabby state, Severus Snape liked everything neat and ordered; the Weasleys' house burst with the strange and unexpected. I got a shock the first time I looked in the mirror over the kitchen mantelpiece and it shouted, "_Brush your hair, scruffy!_"

The ghoul in the attic howled and dropped pipes whenever he felt things were getting too quiet, and small explosions from Fred and George's bedroom were considered perfectly normal when they weren't getting ready for bed in our living room 'fort'.

Harry told me he liked the card I sent him, explaining that a little house elf named Dobby had kept the letters his friends had sent him via owl, and mine must have only reached him since it was delivered by a Muggle postman.

"Dobby belongs to the Malfoy family," I told him, "so if he's under orders, you'll have to watch out, Harry. House elves are very powerful creatures."

Finally, with the right application of persuasion, manipulative tactics and physical superiority, Fred and George Weasley succeeded in dragging me away from the Burrow to go swimming in the lake with them on the day before school.

"I can't believe you got Molly involved!" I grumbled as I sat on the water's edge, stubbornly refusing to get wet. As soon as the woman started on me about Snape being a slave driver, I had no choice but to join the boys in their fun.

"Come on, Belly-boo," a shirtless Fred brushed my left hand as he sat down. "You can't sit here moping all afternoon. A little muck never killed a growing child."

"Fine," I sighed, pulling my sun dress over my head, leaving me in a singlet and a pair of shorts since I didn't pack swimmers when I moved to the UK. "But if I get caught on a reed and drown, I'll haunt you for the rest of your short lives."

Fred snorted as his twin sidled up next to me, also sans shirt. George gave me an indignant look.

"We'd never let you drown, Belly-boo! What kind of hosts do you take us for?"

Then they took a hand each and proceeded to swing me into the water, leaping in after me.

After getting used to the cold (I lie, I used a warming spell on the lake), I started to enjoy myself. The twins would take turns flipping off each other's shoulders or playing water tag with me, when we were soon joined by Harry, Ron, and a nervous Ginny. Looking at our numbers, I decided to suggest a game.

"What's Marco Polo?" Fred asked.

I stared incredulously. "You don't know?"

My friends shook their heads – Harry hadn't heard of it either, since he didn't get to go swimming when he lived with the Dursleys. He'd only just learned how to swim after he came to the Burrow actually, though we were sworn to secrecy.

"It's like water tag, only the person who's It has to shut their eyes while they're hunting for the others. Whenever they call out 'Marco' everyone else has to respond by saying 'Polo' until somebody gets tagged. So I guess it's also like Hide and Seek."

"Sounds like fun!" Harry smiled. "I can go first if you like?"

Everyone else agreed, and so I spun him around three times to make him dizzy before we all spread out to play the game. It turned out to be a great success – Harry tagged Ron, who tagged Ginny, who tagged me. So far, the twins hadn't been caught, but I was gonna change that.

They were quite strong swimmers, and extremely cocky due to the nature of the game, so I knew they'd creep up close to anybody who was It and then speed away behind somebody else after shouting "Polo!" in their ears.

When I felt the water stirring as they drew nearer, I was surprised to be suddenly grabbed by the ankle and dragged below the water. My eyes shot open.

The beast that glared at me was pale green and covered in horns and, at this present moment, it was trying to break my leg. A Grindylow. It didn't take the water demon very long at all to snap the bone, and amidst writhing in pain I noticed it was reaching for my neck.

The dark waters were illuminated by a bright light for a single moment, and then the Grindylow was shooting up and out of the water to be left gasping on dry land. I couldn't just leave it there to die, even thought it tried to kill me. But I couldn't let it go back into the Weasleys lake, either...

I shot skyward as well, landing beside the water demon on my uninjured leg.

"You're coming with me," I gritted my teeth as I grabbed the beast. If I didn't relocate the Grindylow quickly, he'd suffocate. "Sooty!"

CRACK!

My house elf was by my side immediately. "I need you to apparate me and this Grindylow to the lake at Hogwarts where the merpeople can take care of him."

"As the young miss wishes," Sooty bowed, taking my hand, and we were soon beside the lake of Hogwarts. She helped me toss the water demon into the water (it glared at us from beneath the surface of the water before diving down deep) and then she began fussing over my leg.

"Young miss Isabella must be taken to a healer immediately!" the house elf wailed. I was feeling dizzy. I looked down and realised why. I'd let the Grindylow puncture my skin with its horns as we apparated, and now I was bleeding from several tiny holes in my arms.

"Not even a high danger level," I muttered in embarrassment. The house elf was about to take me up to the hospital wing to see Madam Pomfrey when a booming voice called out, and Sooty apparated out of sight.

"Oi, what are ye doin' on private property?!" It was a fast approaching Hagrid, and he was brandishing a suspicious pink umbrella. I swayed where I stood and almost tumbled into the lake.

"Oh, Bella!" the half-giant caught me, holding me to his broad chest.

"I was relocating a Grindylow," I told the groundskeeper faintly. "Is Madam Pomfrey in?"

"I'll take ye to 'er," Hagrid said, and he began the long trek upwards.

I had a surprising amount of visitors at the hospital wing that afternoon (all staff), mostly just wanting to know how I got into the school on my own. Dumbledore, McGonagall and Snape were there and, much to my displeasure, Gilderoy Lockhart. He brought signed copies of all his books to 'help me feel better,' having remembered me from the book store (much to _Snape's_ displeasure).

Filch and even Professor Flitwick showed up.

The caretaker thought I must have used one of the tunnels the Weasley boys had shown me, but upon finding out I had a suffocating Grindylow with me at the time, he spent the next hour or so contemplating me silently from his chair, with Mrs Norris on his lap watching me with equal interest.

"Sooty!" the Potions Master suddenly called, his glittering black eyes focussed on me. There was a loud 'CRACK!' and the house elf appeared, already bowing before my Head of House.

"What does Master Severus require of Sooty?" she asked deferentially.

"Have Isabella's bags brought directly to her dorm, and let her hosts know she will meet them at school."

"As my master wishes," Sooty bowed lower before retreating with a pop.

_Sooty's master was Severus Snape?!_ But... wouldn't that mean...?

My eyes were as wide as those of Mrs Norris, and Snape noticed. "Is there something you wish to share with us, Miss Swan?"

"You own a house elf, sir?" I breathed, not trusting my voice to speak any louder.

"Oh yes," Snape replied in his silky voice, "She was my mother's before me, but she remained at Hogwarts after the woman married my father. You don't have a problem with that, do you?"

I shook my head, unable to meet his eyes. Oh dear Merlin. Was Snape...? But no, he couldn't be. Charlie was my dad. I was a mudblood witch, not a half-blood bastard. Wasn't I?

It wasn't until after everyone had gone that I called Sooty back. She had a sheepish look on her face. "Sooty is sorry the young miss found out this way."

"Found out what, exactly?" I whispered, my face a mask of calm.

"Sooty is linked to Master Severus by blood," she wrung her hands together. "The same is for Isabella Swan. Young Miss Isabella is Master Severus' daughter. Sooty knew this ever since the young miss arrived. Sooty cannot fully express her joy knowing she has a future- if Master Severus accepts you as his heir, of course. It was not Sooty's intention to inform the young miss so soon, but... Sooty will be very pleased to serve Miss Isabella, so please try your best!"

I laid back, my eyes screwed shut tight. "You know, I'd been wondering lately why I hadn't been sent to some American wizarding school, but if it's to do with parentage…" I couldn't finish that thought. "Get me out of here, Sooty."

"Where?"

"To a Muggle payphone. I need to make a phone call," I told her.

We were gone with a soft pop.

Mom picked up on the seventh ring. "_Hello, Renee speaking!_"

"Mom." My voice was panicked.

"_Bella? Why- no, how are you calling me, young lady? You're not supposed to have technology over there, let alone be able to make phone calls. I'd thought- well, never mind. Are you homesick sweetheart?"_

Her voice was slurred in a way I'd always recognise. Mom was bored, and when she was bored she drank and ended up doing even more irresponsible things than usual. It was becoming easier to understand some of the things my mom saw in Phil now. Charlie may have been busy as chief-of-police but he never brought work home with him, and his attentiveness to Renee would've been suffocating to a 'free-spirit' such as her.

_ "_Does Charlie know he's not my real dad?_"_

Something smashed over the phone and I could hear my mom's slurred cursing as she attempted to clean up the mess she'd just made.

"_Sorry, what'd you say, hon? I dropped a glass while I was trying to reach the pistachios above the cupboard."_

I struggled not to simply hang up and get the house elf to take me back home and have it out with her face to face. "Mom, I need to ask you an important question."

"_Sure, Bella, knock yourself out!_" She snorted at her own joke.

"When were you gonna tell me about Charlie not being my real dad?"

"_Oh, that,_" Renee said lightly like she'd just remembered to buy eggs. "_Don't hold that against him, sweetheart – I kinda panicked when I found out and he was the one who convinced me not to abort you. He loves you to pieces, that man. Of course, now that you're in Scotland and so busy with your little apprenticeship, well it's win-win! You get to do what you want, and I get to do what I want!_"

Her words stung, and I felt as though I'd had the wind knocked out of me.

There was no describing how betrayed and confused I felt right now.

Part of me wondered if she'd regret it if she remembered this conversation. Probably not. Come to think of it, I should have realised sooner that Charlie and I were the same to her – shackles to hold her down.

"So…" I swallowed, trying to get rid of an awful knot in my throat, "You don't mind that you won't hear from me for at least six years?"

"_Oh, not at all! You're a witch now, so you're probably really busy with all that potion-brewing stuff. In fact, you know what? It's probably better if you don't send that poor owl chasing me and Phil all over the country- you'll wear the thing out, honey! Why don't you just send all your letters to Charlie, that way he might keep your little friend Jake in the loop, y'know?_"

I sighed. "Just to be clear, if I wanted to, could I come home?"

"_Oh honey, if you were going to change your mind like this, you'd make Phil feel like he wasted his money. You don't want that, do you? I thought you liked it there. Besides, if you came home the only person who could take you in is Charlie, since we turned your room into an office for Phil._"

"Oh. Well, enjoy your life then, mom."

"_Will do! Bye Bella!_"

She hung up on me, and for a few long moments I just stood with the phone to my ear as tears rolled down my cheeks. The tiny house elf looked up at me sorrowfully. Finally, hands trembling, I slammed the phone back onto the receiver and then picked it straight back up again to dial a new number.

"_Swan residence, this is Charlie."_

My voice shook. _"_Dad..._"_

"_Bella!" _He muffled the phone, but I could still hear him shouting, "_Hey Billy! Jake! Guess who called!_" Then his voice was clear again as he spoke in a rush. _"Hey, kiddo, it's great to hear from you! What's the occasion? Usually I only hear about you from your mom, and she's always in a hurry to get off the phone."_

I pressed my lips together, trying to work out what to say. He was so excited, and he had friends over. I didn't want to ruin it for him. "Uh, I just wanted to thank you for my presents last year- I haven't really had a chance to make any phone calls until now."

"We're just glad you liked them, Bells. So, tell me all about your new school! Did you make friends?"

Charlie eased me into conversation and I started to feel a little better. He warned me to be careful of having so many boy friends (the worry in his tone was a balm to my hurting heart), and reminded me to tell a teacher if I ever got in trouble with bullies.

He was just how a dad should be. But he wasn't mine, and _I wasn't his_.

I couldn't begin to express how sad that made me. I felt like clinging to the sound of his voice like my life depended on it.

After the third time the payphone warned me to add more money, Charlie exclaimed my phone call was costing me a fortune and said he'd write me a letter after he hung up.

I bid Charlie goodbye and stepped out of the phone booth, still feeling like my world wasn't right. But it wasn't falling apart anymore.

I took a deep breath in.

"You're asking a lot of me, Sooty."

The house elf trembled with remorse. "Sooty is very sorry for your pain, Miss Isabella."

I laid a gentle hand on her head. "I'll deal with it. Take me back to the hospital wing, Sooty."


	2. Chapter 2

****Chapter 2****

"-practically __begged __me to join the team after father- oh, morning Bella!" Draco's greeting at breakfast was cheerier than usual, if the lack of his usual nickname for me was anything to go by. I nodded at him and took the space he offered on his right side.

Crabbe, who'd been made to move aside spoke in a quiet voice as he leaned across me to rescue his breakfast. "Alright, Swan? Y'look a bit pastier 'n usual."

I blinked, unaware the large boy had taken any real notice of me last year. "Fine thanks, Crabbe. What's Draco so happy about?"

The blonde wasn't to be left out. "Father donated new brooms to the Slytherin team. Of course, they'd _be ___idiots__not to accept me as their new Seeker," he grinned.

"Good for you, Draco," I patted him on the shoulder with a half-hearted smile. The boy was oblivious to my mood, and he continued to brag to the rest of the table about what his father had done for the team. I felt a headache growing.

And because life _had ___perfect __timing, an explosion of sound filled the Great Hall just after the owls swooped in to deliver their letters.

Ronald Weasley was getting the dressing down of a life time from the booming voice of his mother – apparently, he and Harry had done something illegal with that old blue car I'd been picked up in, and Mr Weasley was facing an inquiry at work because what they'd done shouldn't have been possible.

Dear, stupid boys.

Eventually the matriarch's tirade ended, and I sighed and massaged my temples. Not hungry in the first place, I got to my feet and marched up to the head table where most of the teachers were occupied with their own breakfast.

Severus eyed me as he sipped at his morning coffee – bitter and black to suit his mood at school in general. I stood across from him and greeted his vest buttons with a polite good morning. This man was... _my _dad?

No.

I wanted _Charlie_ to be my dad, not Severus Snape, Hater of Children.

Despite the strange familiarity the two of us had somehow managed to develop, my mind recoiled at the prospect of telling him what I knew. If he had no knowledge of it even as a possibility, I wanted it to stay that way.

I'd use him as a means to gain enough prestige for a worthy career, and leave our relationship at that. We had no further obligation to one another outside of our work together.

Or, that's what I tried to tell myself. It was a difficult thing to ignore being betrayed and lied to by your parents for the first ten years of your life. It was a difficult thing to ignore when your mother admitted to conceiving you with a drunk stranger and then wanting you gone so she didn't have to be responsible for it. Or when your biological father despised humanity in general, and children in particular.

I suspected Dumbledore was aware of my parentage already. Perhaps he'd set up my apprenticeship with our relationship in mind, who knows? If he had, he'd been incredibly optimistic. I think I was beginning to hate his meddling just a tiny bit. But I was getting ahead of myself. My suspicions needed merit before I was willing to give my feelings sway.

There were other things to consider, too. Sooty was staking her own future with mine, but even that relied on waiting for the right moment to break it to Snape. I wanted to pretend none of it was true, but could I be so selfish?  
>My mind strained over the answer. Sooty had asked for my help- asked me to be responsible for her. She served me so dutifully because she was desperate to continue serving her family. I gave her hope. I didn't want to take that away from her, even if it meant I'd have to agonise over it for a long while.<p>

Really, what could I do?

I knew I had time, lots of it, before I'd need to do anything with this information, but... Could I pull this off? Was it even worth it, or should I quit before I got too invested? Secretly, I resented the house elf for asking this of me. Wasn't she happy working at Hogwarts? There would be no real difference in her work situation if I chose to leave her here, and she'd just have to live with whatever decision I made. But I would be ashamed of myself for the remainder of my life.

Thoughts raged in conflict, trying to come up with an answer, but struggle as I may, nothing came to mind that would ensure everyone's happiness.

My downward spiral into confusion was cut short by the one who held my future in his long tented fingers. "I trust your rather__short__time with the irresponsible delinquent Weasley boys was well spent?" By well spent, the man was asking whether I put them to task with schoolwork. Snape didn't waste time on pleasantries. He was still mad that I wasn't telling how I got into the school so easily. The secrets I was still hiding from him were piling higher the more I stuck around.

"Yes, sir."

"Then you may consider your little mishap in Diagon Alley forgotten."

I nodded.

He inhaled sharply through his nose. "I will not require you until Saturday evening, so make sure to study hard in all of your first classes and get ahead." He retrieved a folded piece of paper from his shirt pocket, and I accepted the modified class schedule without sparing a glance at it.

"Of course, sir."

"You may go."

I swallowed nervously and tried not to seem like I was rushing away from him as I strode out of the hall. I could totally solve this. I just had to stop thinking about the situation like it was important, and make sure Sooty never, _ever_ told Snape he had a bastard daughter.  
>In fact, it was probably high time the little house elf and I had words.<p>

***The Sorcerer's Apprentice***

I discovered the plain black notebook buried amongst the rest of my textbooks and, sick of writing on parchment paper I tucked it into my messenger bag with my other books for the day.

Slytherins had a double transfiguration with Ravenclaw – for the copious amount of note-taking that was required in McGonagall's classes the small black book could only be of use. Ignoring the plate of food Sooty had sneakily left on my little breakfast table, I hurried to my first class.

Professor McGonagall knew exactly what to do with 'her best Slytherin student' as she referred to me. While everyone else was busy reviewing last year's work on changing beetles into buttons, I was given a desk in the back row covered entirely in books. "Read these, Miss Swan. It's the required study for this year. You can hand in an essay on your understanding of the subjects in your own time."

I smiled properly at the woman and approached my assigned desk. She wouldn't know my recent issues, but plunging into study was my only getaway right now.

It didn't take long for me to flip through the books, my mind poring over the information at high speed and categorising each detail, so once I was done I stacked them into a mini-fort and tapped my chin thoughtfully before putting pen to paper and dating the top corner.

__Transfiguration, the act of morphing one thing into another.__

__To the average, untrained witch or wizard, one might describe it as the most basic of alchemy.__

__It is much less and much more than that.__

__While both hold the property of change, one works within the boundaries of magical law, and the other reaches beyond it for that which, in its purest form, may be unattainable.__

Before I could add anything else to my draft, the words faded and blinked out of existence. New words replaced them, the writing small but tidy.

****What fascinating thoughts you have. May I inquire as to who is writing in my diary?****

****The name's Tom Riddle, by the way – if you didn't notice my name on the spine.****

I hesitated, peeking over the top of my book wall before I wrote back.

__Bella Swan. Of course the freebie notebook would be enchanted to steal ink and have a personality! I suppose I'll have to buy Muggle notebooks if I want to get my essays done in peace.__

****How you wound me, Bella! Besides, this isn't a notebook – I am the perfect diary, for none shall be able to read your secrets, and you'll always have someone to talk frankly with.****

I slid my hand away, angry at myself for not checking the book more thoroughly, but in doing so I gave myself a paper cut on one of the page corners. I leaned my head against the table and willed myself to remain conscious until the cut stopped bleeding.

Once the ringing in my ears settled down I muttered a quick, "Episkey," and healed the minor cut instantly.

The red stain faded into the pages just as the ink did, and Tom Riddle wrote to me in my blood.

****Bella? Are you alright?****

Ugh. When I didn't immediately reply, he wrote again.

****Bella? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you. Please tell me you're okay.****

__I'm fine. I don't like blood. Please don't write with mine, it's really gross.__

Thankfully, once my ink had been absorbed he was back to writing in black.

****My apologies. So, are you a Muggle-born witch? I couldn't help but notice the ease with which you referred to buying muggle supplies.****

I stared at the page. This stupid diary had unwittingly brought up the one thing I was trying to forget about.

__You know, I'd love to chat with you Tom, but I really do need to get on with that essay. Maybe another time?__

****Oh. Sure, of course. I'm available any time.****

I slammed the diary shut and shoved it down into my messenger bag before digging around for some old parchment.

Taking a deep, calming breath I began anew.

__Transfiguration, the act of morphing one thing into another...__

_*The Sorcerer's Apprentice*_

History of Magic was the same as last year, only with a different book, and after lunch we were joined by the Gryffindors for DADA with Professor Lockhart. He gave us a quiz about Lockhart – what else? - and half an hour to complete it.

I was finished within ten minutes, and so I flipped open Tom's diary.

__What is Gilderoy Lockhart's favourite colour? For your information, Mr Riddle, it's lilac.__

__Now here's my question: what is such a vain, obviously useless peacock of a man doing as our DADA professor?!__

As expected, my scrawl faded into the pages and was replaced with Tom's neat handwriting.

****You poor, unfortunate soul. Did you know that was the position I wished to take once I finished school? It was my most beloved subject.****

I looked briefly at the gold letters on the spine of his diary, and wondered how old the man was who'd once owned it.

__Did you apply for it? Surely anyone would be better than the incompetence we have before us now.__

****I applied twice. Once immediately after graduating, and again several years later. Alas, I was rejected both times. The first time I was too young, and the second time... well, the standards for a professor had changed with the new headmaster.****

__And so you gave up? Or are you dead, and this sad little diary is all that's left of you?__

****Very funny, Bella. I live a rather obscure life, though I think you'll find I'm very much alive. My physical body has moved on to other occupations now, but I offer you my greatest sympathies.****

"Ah, Miss Swan. Another very promising student. Finished with your quiz?" Lockhart's white teeth gleamed down at me. I passed him the paper and waited for him to move on before turning back to my little 'pen-pal'.

****So you never answered my question earlier.****

__How very observant of you.__

****No need to be defensive. I'm just a diary.****

I thought about it, and then wrote my answer slowly.

__I'm currently undergoing an identity crisis, so forgive me if I don't wish to talk about it.__

****Ah, you're the type of girl to bottle things up, aren't you? Allow me to hazard a guess... let's see, one of your parents has betrayed your trust in some way, so now you feel like you can't identify with them. Am I close?****

__Not bad, Mr Riddle.__

"Miss Swan! See me after class?" Professor Lockhart seemed to have finally noticed I wasn't paying attention. I shut the diary, nodded in response and gave the man my full, if reluctant attention.

He then chose to release a bunch of electric blue Cornish pixies on the class. Having read about the small creatures' penchant for wreaking havoc, I produced my wand and froze several pixies that were making a beeline for Neville Longbottom. He shot me a grateful look before ducking to safety under a desk.

"Why do they always go for me?" he asked as I crossed the room to cover him, zapping another handful with stinging hexes. Seeing a common foe, the pixies made a uniform attack, heading towards me like a hive of angry bees.

I smirked, pointing my wand at them. "_Dormio totalus._" Sleep. They dropped to the floor like dead birds.

_"___Very__well done, Miss Swan – though it was a tad unconventional, you got the job done and saved a classmate! Ten points to Slytherin!_"_

The bell rang just as the last pixie was returned to its cage and the class filed out, leaving me alone with the new defence professor.

He leaned against the front of his desk, crossing his arms as he smiled down at me. "Bella Swan. Amazing young child, aren't you? Your quiz results were very intriguing to say the least." He flicked through the papers until he found mine, withdrawing it with a flourish.

"I think the most interesting answer was your opinion of my greatest achievement. It reads: __While I don't believe for a second you did any of the things you wrote in your books,__" he let out a tiny, hysterical giggle, _"___you must have a great talent for publicity. Your stories are perfectly charming and always full of happy endings. Perhaps your greatest achievement has been getting this far in your career without being charged for fraud. Well done, sir.___"_

His smile had become rather fixed by this point. "And yet, you answered all of the other questions perfectly. How very... odd."

I shrugged. "People will think what they want. I'm not the kind of person to blab all your dirty secrets, and considering your fan base it wouldn't make a difference, would it? The good thing is you're not bringing in vampires and hags and werewolves, so the students won't be at risk under your care."

Lockhart was stunned. "Oh! Oh. You-"

"Besides, there's no proof I'm right," I winked. "If that's all, I should go and join my peers, sir."

***The Sorcerer's Apprentice***

The rest of the week passed by in a blur, all except for one subject.

My class class with _him _was not off to a great start.

I'd royally screwed up.

Hermione had taken over Neville duty for the time being, and so I was stuck next to Seamus Finnigan, the boy who blew up his own eyebrows.

I sighed when he got too vigorous with the stirring, and vanished the potion before it could do any damage to us and our equipment, though I'd been tempted to just let it be and get out of class with third degree burns.

"Not letting him learn from his mistake, Miss Swan?"

Stiffening at the man's presence, I spoke to his buttons. "I'd rather follow the school of thought that demands we __waste___ not_, professor." My eyes flickered up to meet his. "Or would you have us blow up another row of cauldrons, wasting more of your precious funds?"

Silence fell for three long seconds. My peers' eyes were on our table. The professor's black eyes flashed with a seething indignation.

"Very well. Start again, Finnigan, and a point from Gryffindor for not following clear instructions."

I massaged my temples and waited for him to move along, but my master wasn't finished yet. "And as you wasted valuable ingredients from the student cupboard, your first duty on Saturday will be paying to replace them, Miss Swan."

It would seem the layers of stress I'd buried myself under were beginning to make cracks in my resolve when I was in his presence- I couldn't maintain his level of cold calm when I needed it, and Merlin knew I did.

"_I'm waiting, Miss Swan."_

My startled gaze jumped back up, his expression was unimpressed.

"Yes, sir."

"And I'll be having a word with you after class."

"Yes, sir."

"Oh, and Miss Swan?"

"Yes, sir?"

"Give me cheek in class again and I'll Vanish your tongue from your mouth. _Am I clear?_"

A few students shivered. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I admired his ability to do that. "Sir."

***The Sorcerer's Apprentice***

After class I tiptoed into the man's office. He motioned for me to take the seat across him.

"You brought Lockhart's books with you," he observed with distaste.

My eyes dropped to the pile of books in my arms. I shifted uneasily, but defaulted to my usual sass. "I wanted to see how well they burn. Do you mind?"

A smile. "Normally I would not endorse the destruction of educational material, however on this occasion... well. Don't hold back on my account."

Separating my text books from those I'd received from the celebrity I muttered, "Incendio!" and watched blankly as the moving faces seemed to scream in horror.

I couldn't enjoy the ritual as much as I'd hoped. My mind was stuck in a loop.

_What the heck was I supposed to tell him?_

When the last book was ash, I vanished the burnt remains and leaned back in my seat, waiting for him to break the silence.

"Inappropriate behaviour aside. What... are you thinking, Bella?"

Caught by surprise at the direct approach, I met the Potion Master's gaze. He had me trapped with his cold black eyes like a snake hypnotizes its prey. Idly I wondered if that was intentional on his part.

"I cannot read your mind, regardless of whether you look me in the eye or not, so you _must ___tell me,__if I am to be of any aid to you. As your Head of House, your well-being is my responsibility. Of this you are aware."

Swallowing, I answered as honestly as I could. "We never really addressed what happened last year. You made me promise not to get involved, and I broke my promise."

He shrugged a single shoulder. "Am I to assume this is what has been bothering you all of a sudden? I understand why you set those alarms in place, it was a commendable thing to do, Isabella. But do not take me for a fool. Something else is the issue for you."

"You're right, of course. I met Sooty last year. We're friends," I admitted.

"And you thought she worked for the school?" The coldness gave way to curiosity.

I shook my head. "For Slytherin. She's... been very kind, and done a lot of things for me. I didn't realise she was yours, and I..." I gulped. "IkindofgothertotakemetothePhilosopher'sStonesoIcouldhideitfromVoldemort."

Understanding darkened his expression. _"___Would you care to repeat yourself?__With diction this time."

"I knew Quirrell figured out how to get past Hagrid's dog, so I told Sooty, and she agreed to help me make sure the rock wouldn't actually get taken by Vol-"

"__Don't___- say the name._" He looked like he was struggling to maintain his calm. "Why are you confessing this to me _now, _Bella? You lied and got away with it, didn't you?"

Stupid Slytherin logic. I ran a hand over my face, struggling to keep myself together in the man's little game of cat and mouse. This wasn't him asking to help me, it was him testing me. He expected me to either confide so he could deal with it, or lie well enough to convince him his interference was not required. He was hoping I'd give him answers. Truth. Only, in the words of Colonel Nathan R. Jessep: __You can't handle the truth!___ Not this truth, Severus Snape. For that matter, neither could I._

"Are you going to continue this little tap-dance of yours, Swan, or am I to force the issue? We did agree to an exchange of information, after all."

I shut my eyes. "When I realised Sooty was yours, I wanted to tell you the truth, since I used your property without your permission. The rest of my issues are unrelated to our agreement."

He smiled wryly. "Normally, as your Head of House this would be the part where I inquire about your home situation, but given the circumstances..." Snape trailed off.

"Well..." I began.

"What?" Severus looked appalled that it really could have something to do with our living arrangement.

"My guardian has this nasty old crow that keeps waking me up at ungodly hours of the morning. I'm starting to get insomnia," I whined dramatically.

A slow smirk crept its way onto his face. "Have you ever considered a Muffling Charm, Bella? It works a treat."

I slapped a palm to my forehead. "Dunderhead!"

"I'll say."

***The Sorcerer's Apprentice***

Dinner had come and gone, and I sat in the common room, contemplating how to deal with the curveball life had thrown me. Phil would be _so_ proud I was using sports analogies. I hadn't noticed other people filing in until I was jolted out of my stasis by a hand on my shoulder.

"Didn't see you at dinner. I was gonna ask if you wanted to come see my first practice tomorrow morning. Told you I'd be the new Seeker," Draco grinned.

I nodded at him. "Straight after breakfast?"

He frowned. "How'd you- oh, never mind._ Of course _you know what time practice starts, cheering for those bloody Weasleys."

Standing up, my legs wobbled a little but I paid that no heed as I drifted across the room to the ugly sign on the wall. "I'll see you in the morning. Going to bed."

A hand caught my wrist and I flinched.

"You don't sleep there anymore, moron. You must be tired if you can't remember which way your dorm is," Draco teased, tugging me to his dormitory.

Once he'd pushed me all the way onto my bed the blonde turned and made his way back out. "Get some sleep, Swan. Don't want you to miss a thing tomorrow!"

I sighed and moved to the wardrobe, making my way not to my own room, but to a certain cupboard in one of the high towers.

When I stumbled into the headmaster's office two heads shot up to stare at me, and I immediately berated myself for not checking for extra people in the room.

Overwhelmed and groaning from exhaustion I allowed my legs to give way to the floor.

* * *

><p>Dumbledore shot Severus a curious look and approached the girl. She let him guide her to a seat, though she wouldn't accept the tray of food that appeared on his desk. She was already looking pale and thin, and if she continued to neglect her health Albus worried for the girl's ability to continue on at the school. "Lemon drop?" he offered, holding out the bowl.<p>

Miss Swan fixed him with a strange look, but took one and held onto it.

He nodded in approval before setting the bowl on his desk and fixing her with a serious gaze. "What appears to be troubling you, Miss Swan?"

The girl fidgeted with the lolly in her hand. "Why was I chosen for Hogwarts rather than Salem Witches Academy?"

"Ahem." Dumbledore scratched his beard sheepishly. Of course he knew, but his answer required _delicacy_, considering the oblivious party in the room. Was she really prepared to bulldoze into this topic? "That is a tricky question. Why you are now here is probably simpler to answer, for now. You see, Salem Witches Academy works around a different school calender to us, and could very easily have accepted you by default into their academy. To secure you, we sent out an invitation before their school year began so you could have your education here. Hogwarts is a very predigious school, you see. It is in the school's best interests to raise excellent witches and wizards of every age."

Isabella watched him shrewdly, understanding the direction he was taking and continuing on the offensive. "Won't my education be totally irrelevant in the politics of my native country? Why bring me all the way over here to a different ruling government? It doesn't make any sense!"

"Are you saying you wish to terminate your apprenticeship and transfer schools?" the potion master stepped in. His voice had an edge of warning in it, which the girl picked up on.

"I'm _asking_ whether my enrolment was underhanded and," she clarified, "if the school had not been acting within the dictates of law when it sought to... _retrieve _me."

Dumbledore smiled. Oh, she was fiery. She would have done well in Gryffindor, though she was beginning to show signs of her proximity with the Head of Slytherin. They made for an interesting pair. "There _was_ a legal claim to you, Isabella. You need not worry. And if you are unsatisfied with certain elements of your education, you are most welcome to apply for more study material from the Magical Embassy of the United States. As for your apprenticeship, however... contracts are finnicky things. The process to cancel such a thing can very well take as many years as it would to simply _complete_ the apprenticeship under your designated master. Was that all?" His eyes twinkled merrily.

Miss Swan stared at her lap. "If the master I'm apprenticing under gets into a dangerous situation and dies under contract, what then?"

Stunned silence pierced the room. It appeared she had strained over this topic alone, then. Albus felt a great deal more regret for making her father a double agent now than he had twelve years ago.

"Your apprenticeship would be completed at Hogwarts, you would receive a recommendation from the attending staff and would be free to go and make a name for yourself," Severus answered quietly.

"You could, of course, become a student teacher and transition into a staff position immediately upon graduation," Dumbledore added.

Bella's head shot up, gaze sharp. "Really? You don't think I'd be a bit _young_ to be teaching straight out of school?"

Albus Dumbledore felt the strangest sensation, as though he was being tested.

The headmaster spoke carefully. "Normally, that would be the case, but you are someone deserving special consideration." Turning away from the girl, he continued. "Curfew is approaching. Would you escort your student back to her dormitory, Severus?"

The potion master nodded stiffly. "This way, Miss Swan."

* * *

><p>"Belly-boo! Haven't seen you all week!"<p>

"Haven't seen you since you shot out of the lake with that Grindylow! We never got to give you a get-well gift!"

The twins were on Bella's tail as Snape led the way back to the dungeons, but their inquisition was cut short by his scathing voice. "Be prepared to lose points for loitering after curfew if you are still here when I finish speaking, _Weasleys._"

She bumped into Snape when he turned to look down at her, frown in place. "I do not understand your mood at all lately." When it was clear he would not receive an answer, he grimaced. This would most certainly be awkward. "Are you... undergoing the usual transition that occurs for young ladies?"

"Aah! Don't ask me that! And _no__._" She glared at him, and then went back to staring at her feet. "Morgana help me when that does happen," she muttered. _"_With my... ugh, _condition..._ I'd be in a coma for a week!_"_

That was far more than Severus needed to hear, though he could hardly blame her, it was his choice to bring the topic up. "Moving along," he declared quickly, "if there is anything I can do to ease your current dilemma, let me know."

"If we could both ignore said dilemma until it's forgotten, that would be great," she replied, stepping in front of him to head into the common room. He followed after a moment, taking note of the words still etched on the far wall. Speaking of which... "How are your sleeping arrangements with Draco working out?"

Her smile was obviously fake. "It's great. Goodnight, sir."

"Goodnight, Miss Swan."

He waited until she had disappeared around the corner before he strode over to the wall and cast a monitoring charm on it. He would get to the bottom of this.

* * *

><p><em><em>Half-blood bastard.<em>_

****I beg your pardon?****

__Me. Better if I'd have been a mudblood, like everyone thinks I am. Like ___I ___thought I was.__

****You really believe that?****

__Yes. Nobody's expectations to live up to.  
>Purebloods are compared to their ancestors and there's a lot of pressure on them.<em>_

__Mudbloods may have dodgy social status but their talents are their own to claim. They're not 'just like' anybody.__

****I admit, I find you just as fascinating as when we first met, Bella.****

__You have a difference of opinion? I'm not surprised, but times are changing. There's a girl in my year who's considered the brightest witch of her age – muggle-born and proud to be.__

__And her parents love her.__

__Mine are selfish, self-absorbed and blind. My muggle mom hates responsibility (ergo she dumped me here the first chance she could get) and my oblivious biological father hates children. Or people in general, I suppose. And yet I'm stuck seeing him every bloody day for the next six years. It's not that we don't get on in our own way- it's more like, I can be absolutely certain of rejection if I chose to tell him the truth. I feel like I deserve better parents.__

****I see. It must be difficult for you. I'm sorry.****

__You're useless. I want to hit something.__

****My, my! Forgive my attempt at being supportive! You know, I'm not without experience on the subject, Bella.****

****Shall I share it with you?****

****My mother was an ugly, inbred Squib who died after naming me. Gave up after that because she was weak. My father was a Muggle – he abandoned her when she was pregnant with me – couldn't stand the sight of her – and left me to grow up in a vitriolic hole of an orphanage. I was out of place in the world until I came to Hogwarts, and for some time after. It was not an easy lot, Bella.****

I parroted his own words back into the diary.

__I see. It must have been difficult for you. I'm sorry.__

****Well aren't we Little Miss Snippy?****

__I was under the impression diaries were meant to hold the worst part of a person.__

****Indeed, you have the right of it. I suppose that makes me the worst part of my self.****

What a curious thing to say. I stared at the tidy writing that belonged to one Tom Riddle, wondering at the kind of magic that made his responses so realistic.

It wasn't like the enchantment of the Marauder's Map that spouted insults at you if you didn't give it the right password – while entertaining, the map's security measure didn't have the same depth of personality. It was something the twins would do as a prank.

Tom Riddle's diary was different... it made me feel as though I was actually writing to a real person. Or a ghost of a person.

I replied carefully.

__If you say so, Mr Riddle. I have an engagement in the morning, so I'll be going to bed now. Goodnight.__

****Sleep well, Bella.****

***The Sorcerer's Apprentice***

The next morning found me being dragged onto the Quidditch pitch by an excited Malfoy after half a glass of pumpkin juice at breakfast. I was having difficulty remembering to eat.

Crabbe of all people made me drink it. "Put some colour back in yer face," he'd said.

I saw the red and gold colours of the Gryffindor team before they started diving to meet us.

Wood wasn't happy with the intrusion, but Flint provided the perfect excuse and Draco stepped forward, releasing my arm at last. I turned to face the stands. Hermione and Ron were easy to spot. I waved sheepishly at them, but the third I didn't recognise. He was the size of a first year and held a camera in his hands.

The three spectators began making their way down as the hostility continued, and I edged away from the hackling teams to meet them.

Unfortunately I was spotted.

"Belly-boo! You _watching ___their __practices now?"

Flint answered for me. "She _is _in Slytherin house. What did you expect?" He paused, "Oh look. A field invasion."

Ron seemed to be steaming about as much as Wood. "What's happening?" he asked Harry. "Why aren't you playing yet? And what's _he _doing here?"

"I'm the new Slytherin Seeker, Weasley," said Malfoy, smugly. "Everyone's just been admiring the brooms my father's bought our team."

Ron gaped, but I glared at Draco. Money was an obvious point of contention between the two families, and Draco was all too happy to rub it in.

"Good, aren't they?" said Malfoy smoothly. "But perhaps the Gryffindor team will be able to raise some gold and get new brooms, too. You could raffle off those Cleansweep Fives; I expect a museum would bid for them."

The Slytherin team laughed like a pack of hyenas, and I remembered why I'd never cheered for my own team. Their sense of sportsmanship was disgusting.

"At least no one on the Gryffindor team had to buy their way in," said Hermione sharply, and I felt myself agreeing with her wholeheartedly. "They got in on pure talent."

The smug look on Malfoy's face flickered.

"No one asked your opinion, you fiIthy little Mudblood," he spat.

Amidst the hell that broke loose from his comment, Ron pulled out a very sick looking wand and pointed it at the blonde, obviously with intent to do some damage.

But the spell he tried to cast backfired, humiliating him and leaving the Gryffindor team with no other choice but to back off.

Harry and Hermione escorted a slug-spewing Ron to Hagrid's hut while the team of lions slowly dispersed.

However, the humiliation didn't stop them turning around to witness the resounding CRACK(!) as I backhanded Draco with all my might.

"Waaah!" he cried.

_"___Ever __insult that girl again and I'll be sweeping your _measly existence _into a matchbox to send home for your parents to reconstruct! _Are we clear__, you little worm?"_

Flint shoved me away from his Seeker. _"_What's your problem, Swan? He wasn't insulting _you_._"_

I shot him a scathing look. "You're all just happy going with whatever your parents raised you to believe! Can't think for yourselves, can you? Hermione Granger is _better than you-_ and you need to face it. Her genetics, _her ___blood__, are free from the strain of inbreeding that runs within all pureblood families. As a human and as a witch, she's stronger than you-__because __of her fresh bloodline, not in spite of it."

Whipping around, I stalked off the field after the Gryffindor team.

Oliver Wood accosted me as soon as I rounded the corner. "Bella Swan, you're always so full of surprises." He leaned down to look me in the eye. "You didn't have to do that for us, but I appreciate it."

I blinked at him and kept walking. "I didn't do it for any of you."

"Oh?" He easily kept stride with me, his legs were much longer than mine. "Hermione then?"

"A little for her, but more for their own good. Slytherin is tiresome. I don't like playing their kinds of games."

Oliver chuckled. "Alright. Well thanks, anyway. It made _us_ feel better seeing the runt get slapped." He ruffled my hair and headed off in his own direction. Still feeling a little worked up, I veered off course and took a spirited walk around the castle, wandering near the edge of the Great Lake and the Forbidden Forest.

Eventually my mind returned to my eye-opening conversation with mom and Charlie. The man didn't realise how much of a lifeline he was to me right now.

He'd always been quiet, sensible, trustworthy Charlie, but now I took comfort in his advice. If Charlie said I should make more girl friends, then I would try my best. He was right about being careful of boys, too. If they were going to argue over who had dibs on me, who was going to say it wouldn't escalate? I was better off being impartial and removing myself from potential danger.

Having cleared my head of anxiety, I tromped past Hagrid's hut, noting the Golden Trio still inside. Ron was still burping slugs, but it sounded like he was slowing down. Storming the hill at a quick march, I returned to the castle doors.

Waiting for me just outside were the twins, their faces grim. My heart stuttered and I almost turned around to run off again.

"You're coming with us," Fred ordered.

"Please," George added politely, before I was hoisted up by my arms and half carried to the lion table in the Great Hall.

_"___Bella, we need to talk.___"_


End file.
